The present invention relates to dendrimers based on saccharides, a process for the preparation of the same as well as use thereof.
When organic compounds are synthesized, the products are often obtained as mixtures such as racemic mixtures, i.e., as mixtures of enantiomers. Enantiomers may differ only little regarding physical properties but differ substantially with respect to their physiological effects. Thus, one enantiomer may be toxic whereas the other enantiomer may have a therapeutic effect. Therefore, the separation of enantiomers is desirable. Many attempts have been made to achieve this goal. However, the prevailing results are not satisfactory.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a product by which mixtures of products, particularly racemates, can be separated effectively.
According to the invention, this is achieved by the subject matter defined in the claims.
The present invention relates to a dendrimer comprising an initiator core having at least two functional groups and at least two saccharides.
Dendrimers are three-dimensional, highly ordered oligomeric compounds and polymeric compounds, respectively, which form on the basis of an initiator core that has several reactive groups. Substances are attached to these groups. Dendrimers of the first generation are obtained in this way. It is possible to bind to the substances of the first-generation dendrimers further substances and/or further initiator cores that can then be linked with further substances. In this connection, dendrimers of the second generation are obtained. Dendrimers of higher generations are obtained when this reaction sequence is repeated.
The term xe2x80x9cinitiator core having at least two functional groupsxe2x80x9d relates to cyclic compounds having at least two functional groups, e.g., hydroxy groups, amino groups, carboxylic acid groups, metallo-organic groups and/or halide groups, particularly 3, 4, 5 or 6 functional groups. Examples of initiator cores are cyclic initiator core saccharides, i.e., cyclic saccharides, that are used as the initiator core and cyclic aliphatic compounds. Representatives of cyclic initiator core saccharides are cyclic monosaccharides in all stereoisomeric and enantiomeric forms, e.g., cyclic pentoses and hexoses, such as xcex1- and xcex2-D-glucose and derivatives thereof. Representative cyclic aliphatic compounds include cycloalkanes, such as trihydroxycycloalkanes, e.g., 1,3,5-trihydroxycycloalkanes, preferably 1,3,5-trihydroxycyclohexane, inositols, more preferably myo-inositol, as well as derivatives thereof.